Britain Has Shaken Up Isolated Israel

Britain’s sharp move against Israel yesterday represents a major fracture in what had been a growing relationship. The UK has halted negotiations on a free trade agreement , referencing Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated that Israel was entitled to protect itself afterwards 7 October yet had opted for an approach deemed "morally indefensible" and "completely counterproductive."

About five years back, during a peak period for UK-Israel ties, the royal family overturned an age-old prohibition, and King Charles — followed by the Prince of Wales — conducted an official tour in Jerusalem. The statement released yesterday, accompanied by new penalties imposed on radical settlers, marks a significant shift in approach.

This pertains to Israel’s reinvigorated operations in Gaza and amid massive international controversy over aid policy. Israel halted aid in March, citing objections to Hamas’ conduct, including their looting of supplies, and has just restarted deliveries, though critics say it is still not enough.

For the most part, Israelis seemed uneasy about Britain’s actions. The country continues to be divided with some believing the conflict needs to conclude and others feeling it should persist until Hamas is vanquished—yet both perspectives concur on this point: their nation finds itself in an untenable position.

As Dr Natan Aridan, who lectures on Israeli studies and researches at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, stated The i Paper : “The core feeling among many Israelis is: what would Britain do if it were attacked? Britain has the luxury of not being in the situation that Israel is today — and if it was, how would they act?”

He mentioned that people are deeply affected by the pictures coming out of Gaza, yet they also believe actions should be taken to rescue the hostages.

For Israelis, criticism from abroad regarding the Gaza offensive has often been a sore point. Many note that there was heavy international pressure — including from London — not to operate in Rafah before intense operations there started a year ago.”

Nevertheless, it was in Rafah that Israel finally managed to succeed. killing Yahya Sinwar , the architect behind the assaults that occurred on 7 October 2023, then the leader of Hamas , which notably reduced the organization's strength. The Israeli government contends that these military advancements have diminished the group’s power.

Authorities argue that without ongoing operations, Hamas wouldn’t have been compelled to engage in negotiations regarding the release of hostages. They cite the agreement made in January which resulted in over 30 hostages being returned—some safely, others unfortunately deceased—as proof that military exertion leads to diplomatic progress.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry responded to Britain’s statement with a similar feeling of indignation over being instructed on what actions to take while many of its citizens are still held captive.

Spokesman Oren Marmorstein invoked Britain’s role in administering the region from the First World War until Israel’s establishment in 1948. He said: “The British Mandate ended exactly 77 years ago. External pressure will not divert Israel from its path in defending its existence and security.”

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He added that “if, due to anti-Israel obsession and domestic political considerations, the UK Government is willing to harm the British economy — that is its own prerogative”.

A stronger reaction emerged from Knesset member Ariel Kallner of Netanyahu’s Likud party, who questioned on television, "With whom do they stand?" He contended that Israel is battling in Gaza against an entity that opposes not just Israel but all Western nations as well. Warning about the situation in Britain, he added, "They will target them next."

Some disagree with this view. Left-wing Israeli activist Gershon Baskin expressed his opposition. The i Paper He thought Israel was "beginning to experience repercussions for its actions."

At the same time, online, the discussion is intense and often critical of London’s moves.

Yoseph Haddad, an Israeli-Arab content creator who has amassed more than 300,000 followers online, shared a harsh criticism targeting the UK for supporting terrorist groups.

Regarding the British individuals who were abducted in October 2023, he stated: "Essentially, you are aiding the terrorists responsible for murdering and kidnapping your own people on October 7th! You back these terrorists who currently have their sights set on Jerusalem, yet they will eventually aim for cities like London. Furthermore, they seem to think Big Ben is theirs!"

Nathan Jeffay is a journalist residing in Israel but previously worked out of Britain up until 2007. His writing spans various publications across the UK, United States, and Australia, touching upon subjects like politics, conflicts in the Middle East, Israeli technology sector, cultural matters, religious issues, as well as charitable activities. . His Instagram username is @nathanonisrael